September 22, 2005
History Lesson Part 1.
Back in the day, when the internet was just coming of age, Late Show took a giant cyber-leap forward by having their own section on AOL. The guys that handled the business end, Walter & Jay, were kind enough to ask me for my input on my very own section and for a while there, I answered questions from Late Show fans in something we called, Bob's Mailcart. It was fun for a while but towards the end, I felt like the questions and answers were repeating themselves. At that same time, the Worldwide Web was where the money was & the site moved from AOL to the WWW and I didn't make the move with it. Walter sent me an old link yesterday (to tease me) and I just felt like sharing, you could say that this is the idea for bobborden.com....kind of (not really). Enjoy this glimpse into the past:
Bob's Mailcart
(1/6/97)
DEAR BOB,
CAN YOU EAT A BURRITO IN EVERY TACO BELL IN MANHATTAN?
JOEG 79
Dear JoeG 79,
Yeah, I guess I can.
Thank you for enjoying the "Late Show."
Your LS pal,
Bob
BOB,
IS DAVE NICE OR IS HE MORE TACITURN AND QUIET?
EDINNOCENZ
Dear EDinnocenz,
No, Dave is a very nice man but that's not why I'm responding to your letter. I'm responding to your letter because I've never seen or heard the word "taciturn." According to Merriam-Webster, taciturn means "not inclined to talk." I learned something new and actually felt a spark of curiosity in my brain. Thank you, EDinnocenz. Thank you for your letter and thank you for your knowledge of the English language.
Your Late Show pal,
Bob
HI THERE BOB BORDEN...MAILBOY :-)
I AM HANDICAPPED AND PRETTY MUCH CONFINED TO A WHEELCHAIR. HAVE YOU HANDICAPPED SEATING? I WOULD LOVE NOTHING MORE THAN TO SEE DAVE, LIVE IN THE STUDIO. THANKS A LOT :-) HAPPY 1997.
DONTZA (Donna Marie)
Dear Dontza,
Yes, the Ed Sullivan Theater is equipped for the handicapped. If you want to sit in your chair or sit in a chair in the theater, it's your choice. Just ask a CBS page and he/she will be very happy to accommodate you. Great question, thanks.
Your Late Show pal,
Bob
DEAR BOB,
DO YOU HAVE ANY HIDDEN TALENTS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN HIDING?
AMY PAINTS
Dear Amy Paints,
Hidden talents? I can play the trumpet. I can sort mail like a whip. I can drive extremely long distances without going to the bathroom.... Sorry, that may have been more information than you wanted. Thank you for enjoying the "Late Show."
Your Late Show pal,
Bob
BOB,
LIKE THE WORLD IS ROUND BUT FLAT ON THE SURFACE. WHY?
TOAD111111
Dear TOAD111111,
Well, I'm not exactly Mr. Science. However, after researching in Compton's Living Encyclopedia, I found this excerpt that you may find interesting:
"The mass of the Earth has been found to be 6.587 X 10 to the power of 21 tons (5.976 X 10 to the power of 24 kilograms). In numerals this would read 6 sextillion, 587 quintillion tons. Scientists measure the Earth's mass by means of a very delicate laboratory experiment. They place heavy lead weights of carefully measured mass near each other in an apparatus that measures the force of the gravitational attraction between them.
According to Newton's law of gravitation, the force of gravity is proportional to the products of the two masses involved. The force of the Earth's gravity on the experimental mass is easily measured. It is simply the weight of the mass itself. The force of gravity between two known masses in the laboratory can be measured in the experiment. The only missing factor is the mass of the Earth, which can easily be determined by comparison.
Scientists can calculate the Earth's volume because they know the shape of the Earth. They divide the mass of the Earth by the volume, which gives the average density of the material in the Earth as 3.2 ounces per cubic inch (5.5 grams per cubic centimeter).
This average value increases all the material from the surface of the Earth down to the center of the Earth. But not all of the material in the Earth has the same density. Most of the material on the continents is only about half as dense as this average value. The density of the material at the center of the Earth is still somewhat uncertain, but the best evidence available shows that it is about three times the average density of the Earth."
Thanks for your letter.
Your Late Show pal,
Bob
----That wasn't so bad for 1997...right? That's it -- have a kickin' day!
Best,
Bob
Back in the day, when the internet was just coming of age, Late Show took a giant cyber-leap forward by having their own section on AOL. The guys that handled the business end, Walter & Jay, were kind enough to ask me for my input on my very own section and for a while there, I answered questions from Late Show fans in something we called, Bob's Mailcart. It was fun for a while but towards the end, I felt like the questions and answers were repeating themselves. At that same time, the Worldwide Web was where the money was & the site moved from AOL to the WWW and I didn't make the move with it. Walter sent me an old link yesterday (to tease me) and I just felt like sharing, you could say that this is the idea for bobborden.com....kind of (not really). Enjoy this glimpse into the past:
Bob's Mailcart (1/6/97)
DEAR BOB,
CAN YOU EAT A BURRITO IN EVERY TACO BELL IN MANHATTAN?
JOEG 79
Dear JoeG 79,
Yeah, I guess I can.
Thank you for enjoying the "Late Show."
Your LS pal,
Bob
BOB,
IS DAVE NICE OR IS HE MORE TACITURN AND QUIET?
EDINNOCENZ
Dear EDinnocenz,
No, Dave is a very nice man but that's not why I'm responding to your letter. I'm responding to your letter because I've never seen or heard the word "taciturn." According to Merriam-Webster, taciturn means "not inclined to talk." I learned something new and actually felt a spark of curiosity in my brain. Thank you, EDinnocenz. Thank you for your letter and thank you for your knowledge of the English language.
Your Late Show pal,
Bob
HI THERE BOB BORDEN...MAILBOY :-)
I AM HANDICAPPED AND PRETTY MUCH CONFINED TO A WHEELCHAIR. HAVE YOU HANDICAPPED SEATING? I WOULD LOVE NOTHING MORE THAN TO SEE DAVE, LIVE IN THE STUDIO. THANKS A LOT :-) HAPPY 1997.
DONTZA (Donna Marie)
Dear Dontza,
Yes, the Ed Sullivan Theater is equipped for the handicapped. If you want to sit in your chair or sit in a chair in the theater, it's your choice. Just ask a CBS page and he/she will be very happy to accommodate you. Great question, thanks.
Your Late Show pal,
Bob
DEAR BOB,
DO YOU HAVE ANY HIDDEN TALENTS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN HIDING?
AMY PAINTS
Dear Amy Paints,
Hidden talents? I can play the trumpet. I can sort mail like a whip. I can drive extremely long distances without going to the bathroom.... Sorry, that may have been more information than you wanted. Thank you for enjoying the "Late Show."
Your Late Show pal,
Bob
BOB,
LIKE THE WORLD IS ROUND BUT FLAT ON THE SURFACE. WHY?
TOAD111111
Dear TOAD111111,
Well, I'm not exactly Mr. Science. However, after researching in Compton's Living Encyclopedia, I found this excerpt that you may find interesting:
"The mass of the Earth has been found to be 6.587 X 10 to the power of 21 tons (5.976 X 10 to the power of 24 kilograms). In numerals this would read 6 sextillion, 587 quintillion tons. Scientists measure the Earth's mass by means of a very delicate laboratory experiment. They place heavy lead weights of carefully measured mass near each other in an apparatus that measures the force of the gravitational attraction between them.
According to Newton's law of gravitation, the force of gravity is proportional to the products of the two masses involved. The force of the Earth's gravity on the experimental mass is easily measured. It is simply the weight of the mass itself. The force of gravity between two known masses in the laboratory can be measured in the experiment. The only missing factor is the mass of the Earth, which can easily be determined by comparison.
Scientists can calculate the Earth's volume because they know the shape of the Earth. They divide the mass of the Earth by the volume, which gives the average density of the material in the Earth as 3.2 ounces per cubic inch (5.5 grams per cubic centimeter).
This average value increases all the material from the surface of the Earth down to the center of the Earth. But not all of the material in the Earth has the same density. Most of the material on the continents is only about half as dense as this average value. The density of the material at the center of the Earth is still somewhat uncertain, but the best evidence available shows that it is about three times the average density of the Earth."
Thanks for your letter.
Your Late Show pal,
Bob
----That wasn't so bad for 1997...right? That's it -- have a kickin' day!
Best,
Bob
